Hōkūleʻa Successfully Departs Kawaihae

May 2, 2018, 8:55 AM HST

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Hōkūleʻa successfully departed Kawaihae on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, at 5 p.m.

The Hōkūleʻa is returning to Oʻahu from Hawaiʻi Island earlier than scheduled due to damage to the canoe’s hulls that will need to be repaired immediately.

While sailing to Kawaihae on April 29 to continue the Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail, Hōkūleʻa’s crew experienced some difficulty and the canoe went aground, causing damage to the the canoe’s hulls.

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Although there is damage to the bottom of the hulls, initial assessment by leadership concluded it is safe to bring the voyaging canoe back to O‘ahu for the needed repairs.

No crew members were injured during the incident.

Hōkūleʻa is expected to arrive this morning, Wednesday, May 2, a few hours ahead of schedule at 8 a.m. to Polynesian Voyaging Society headquarters at the Marine and Education Training Center at Sand Island on Oʻahu. Drydock repairs will begin this week.

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Additional information about Hōkūleʻa’s arrival will be published as it becomes available.

The canoe was scheduled to be docked at Kawaihae Harbor until Thursday, May 10. Due to the early departure from Kawaihae Harbor, all school and public canoe tours will be postponed until further notice.

But despite Hōkūleʻa’s early departure from Hawaiʻi Island, the crew panel presentations will take place as scheduled:

Thursday, May 3, 6–8 p.m., Kahilu Town Hall, Waimea: Panel Presentation, documentation team who were embedded on the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage
Saturday, May 5, 5:30–8:30 p.m., Fairmont Orchid Grand Ballroom: Panel Presentation, ʻOhana Holomoana, 1976 Crew
Sunday, May 6, 4–6 p.m., Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Luʻau Grounds: Panel Presentation, PiliwehenaʻOle: Inseparable Relationships
Thursday, May 24, 5:30–7:30 p.m.: Kanu o ka Aina, Kamuela, Malama Honua Community Panel